Watching Brief (2)
The second part of your watching brief should concentrate on production and technical areas.
Stage 4: Graphics
Follow the activities of one graphics designer over the course of the whole day. Is one programme served, or are there several ‘customers’, each requiring a different style? Make sure you understand the system. Is instruction given verbally, or is there a more formal procedure? Are ideas for graphics generated by reporters or other journalists for the artist to follow, or vice versa? Time how long it takes to create each graphic and note the periods of the day when pressure of work seems greatest. Ask who is responsible for checking the accuracy of graphics designs–particularly figures and spellings–against original ideas and completed scripts. On transmission, make a particular point of judging whether there is a real match between the graphic and the accompanying commentary. If there is little or none, find out why.
Stage 5: The newsroom
Observe a newswriter or item producer at work on your chosen programme and monitor every stage of the process. Get an idea of what sources are used, particularly those which are considered reliable and those which are not. Note how much of the script is the writer’s own words and how much is a straight crib from wire copy. Pay special attention to the writer’s working relationships with programme editor, reporter and picture editor working on the same story, and how much influence is brought to bear by others. Be there when the running order/rundown is constructed. Try to understand why items are shortened or dropped. Stay for the programme post mortem, if there is one.
Stage 6: Studio and production
Follow the studio director as preparations are made to put the programme on the air. Sit in on script or technical conferences and listen to what is said about journalistic performances. Watch the rehearsal, however sketchy it might be. Evaluate the director’s performance under the pressure of a live newscast. Spend some time in the studio, where you can judge whether the floor manager gives clear signals and whether the script-prompting operation is effective.
Stage 7: Practice
By the time you have reached Day 7 your colleagues will have decided you are a perfectionist or a plain nuisance. Either way, persuade them to give you some reading practice during studio downtime. A script from a previous transmission will suffice. Use the electronic prompting device, if there is one. Then ask for an honest opinion.
Stage 5: Newsroom (courtesy Sky News)
Stage 6: Production (courtesy BBC Central Stills)
Stage 7: Practice (courtesy EDS Portaprompt)
Watching brief (2)
The second half of the programme concentrates on production and technical areas. You should end up with a full understanding of how your organisation works and your part in it.